Since I started Never Say Die Beauty, I have mentioned a number of times my love and nostalgia for the Georgette Klinger Salon and Spa on Madison Avenue in New York (post here). I learned about Georgette Klinger many years ago from my college roommate at Barnard who had perfect skin but whose mom was generous enough to send her there when she got her first pimple, lol. Carol let me try her clay mask that was made with white clay powder (tinted pink) that you mixed up fresh with a solution in a squeeze bottle. I was smitten. When I started graduate school, I had some part-time work and I saved my pennies and went to Georgette Klinger and bought the mask as well as my first real moisturizer. When I finally got a “real job”, I started going to Georgette Klinger for facials and massages, and I bought most of my skincare products there usually during their twice a year sale. These are their iconic heavy etched glass doors.
The salon on Madison Avenue was a wonderful place (and their other salons throughout the U.S. that I visited were nice too!), and I was heartbroken when the Georgette Klinger family sold the business in the early 00s, I think it was. The legendary Georgette Klinger died in 2004. The new owner promptly managed to put the venerable brand out of business. I read that the Klinger family repurchased the rights to the brand name a couple of years later in the hopes of resurrecting the brand.
Fans of GK have left wonderful lengthy reminiscences of the salon as well as paeans to their favorite Georgette Klinger products in the comments on my blogpost. We all have great memories of the salon, the fabulous Eastern European estheticians and the skincare products. In fact, I saved a couple of the old products “for old time sake”, though they’re too old to use.
Yesterday, I was looking through my Instagram feed, and I noticed that “Georgette Klinger” was following me. I was surprised. I immediately went to the Georgette Klinger feed and saw that there were about 6 posts up. And a couple of the posts announced that Georgette Klinger skincare products were back. They relaunched the brand at the end of April. Woo hoo!
I sent the brand an email asking what was happening, and they answered me immediately telling me they had brought back some of the old favorites and introduced a number of new products based on GK skincare principles. They said they will be introducing more products over time. No word about the salons.
I went to the new website to check it out. They have maintained the Georgette Klinger colors: white, grey and peach (although the peach is a deeper shade). They have at least 25 products, and it appears that they are contemporary skincare products with on-trend ingredients with an emphasis on natural ingredients. I didn’t really see any of my old favorites. I was hoping they’d bring back the fabulous hand cream and the cream cleanser and that iconic pink colored white clay 2-part mask, but I didn’t see them in the lineup. Well, things change. Hopefully, things improve!
Through Mother’s Day, Georgette Klinger is offering 20% off on all purchases. I would describe the pricing as moderate. There’s free shipping over $35. I think I may have to try something during the sale to see what I think even though I certainly don’t “need” any skincare products right now.
I’m glad Georgette Klinger is back! Things have changed in the skincare products marketplace in the almost 20 years since they’ve been gone, so I hope they make it. I’m rooting for them!
How nice that they’re back,I’m happy for you. Hopefully the mask you were talking about will be put in the rotation, I love a good mask. Trying to catch up and keep up,life’s been busy recently and I look forward to getting my relaxing me time moments back. Have a great weekend!
Hi Laura, I was thinking about you the other day. I hope life has been busy for you in a good way! Hope you’ll have a restful weekend. I’m hoping that Georgette Klinger will reopen a salon one of these days, but it’s great that they’re back with products. I need to look at their complete ingredient lists: the products used to contain parabens, so I’m hoping that these new ones won’t. That said, the old products lasted forever because of it 😉
I have a rather long story about the miracle that Cod Liver Oil mask performed on my wind-battered face many years ago but I’ll spare you and offer the hope that the new regime will resurrect it. WITHOUT the on-trend ingredients, I might add–its formulation was perfect.
I don’t remember the Cod Liver Oil mask, lol, but the oil works well to lengthen eyelashes!
The mask was for seriously distressed skin, was the color of darkish honey, and had other oils like sesame, almond, and/or apricot seed. Interesting about the eyelashes. I might give that a try although I already have almost freakily long lashes (thanks, Dad!)–maybe it’ll make a good conditioner.
I don’t remember the Cod Liver Oil Mask probably because I always had rather normal to dry skin with only the occasional breakout when I got my period. But oops, Karen, I goofed! I was thinking caster oil – castor oil is great for lashes (though it sounds like you don’t need longer lashes, you lucky!) and for thickening eyebrows
Ha! Fortunately, I didn’t run out to buy any CLO (although I should try it on my face). I’ll check out the castor oil–thanks for the correction! I could use some extra eyebrows.
I’m glad I noticed my mistake before you tried CLO on your brows 😉